The Worshipful Company of Turners

Charity and Education

Taking a leading role in the renaissance of the craft, the Company and its Charity support a wide range of educational, training and professional activities, often through the provision of lathes, tools and training on a long-term basis. Part of the programme is focused on schools caring for children with special needs.

The Turners’ Company provides bursaries for emerging turners, some working in creative hubs such as Cockpit Arts in London, and is collaborating in the development and promotion of new craft qualifications. The Company played a key role in establishing the Register of Professional Turners and continues to work closely with the RPT and other turning organisations.

The Company’s Charitable Trust

The Turners’ Company Charity is registered at and regulated by the Charity Commission. The Charity’s principal aims are to support the craft of turning and to promote charities related to the Company and the City.

The Charity supports the craft by providing bursaries for emerging turners and giving both financial assistance and prizes for turning in craft competitions and schools, the armed forces as well as general support for training.

The teaching of practical turning skills is something that the Charity promotes and values particularly when our funds and equipment can be used in the same institution or establishment over a number of years.

The Company and Charity have recently inaugurated the Certificate in Turning. Last year the Charity was pleased to collaborate with the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (“QEST”) to promote the award of the QEST Worshipful Company of Turners’ Scholarships.

QEST promotes vocational training for talented British craftspeople to achieve excellence in heritage skills. Earlier this year the Charity was delighted to support the first QEST Turners’ Company Scholar, Jack Darach.

The Wood Workshop of Help for Heros at Phoenix House, Catterick Photo: Chris Booth

We support the teaching of vocational skills to injured and disabled armed forces personnel. Recently the Charity has provided lathes and equipment at Tedworth House at Tidworth and at Phoenix House wood workshop at Catterick.

The Charity also supports educational establishments, schools and charities including those catering for those with special needs, learning disabilities and rehabilitation requirements.